Safety device for volatile liquid storage tanks



Jan. 23, 1940. J. .1. TOKHEIM SAFETY DEVICE FOR VOLATILE LIQUID STORAGE TANKS Original Filed Jan. 25, 1937 awe/Moo whnanrzheim,

Patented Jan. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,188,022 i SAFETY DEVICE FoR; voLATILE LIQUID I STORAGE TANKS JohnJ. Tokheim, CedarRapidaIowa; Original application January 25, 1937, Serial No.

122,278. Divided and this application November 15, 1937, Serial No. 174,726 g Y 3 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to a safety device for volatile liquid storage tanks and is a division of my application, Serial No. 122,278, filed January structed as to provide adequate protection against fire, dust, sand, rain, snow and ice. In that connection the invention contemplates a structure including suitable valves housed within a flame arrester or cage which permits of free access.

to the atmosphere so that the valves may reliably function under normal conditions of use,

and, on the otherhand, will be amply protected in the case of fire .to prevent failure of the valves and also to prevent ignition of the contents of the tank.

A special object of the invention is to provide 2 With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the inve'ntion'is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangements of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the invention. v

Figure 2 is a top plan view, partly in section of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the weather shield and cover showing the fusible link connecting the same.

Figure 4'is a detail perspective view of one of the flame arresting plates.

Similar references designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawmg.

According to the embodiment of the invention shown in therdrawingj the same includes in its organization a vaporcondensation compelling andpressurerelief or' blow off valve A surrounded by'an annular series of vacuum valves B, all housed within a valve cage designated generally as C and including a flame arrester surrounded by a weather-shield D.

The cage C comprises a base I having a central internally threaded nipple 2 for mounting the entire device on a vent pipe P connected with the storage tank in the usual manner. The base I is provided at its'outer periphery with a plurality ofposts 3 which may be secured thereto by suitable fastenings 6.. These posts are channeled or grooved at opposite sides to form guidea ways for receiving the opposite ends of the metal flame arresting plates 6; These plates are provided with integral ofiset spacing projections 'so that when they are arranged in stacked formation in the opposed channels 5 of adjacent posts, they provide intervening air passages for establishing communication between the valves A and B and the atmosphere. The plates in each stack ,may be conveniently. held together by the fastenings 8. The topof the posts 3 support a cover plate 9 which is preferably secured to the posts by the fastenings Ill having Winged heads to facilitate their placing and removal.

- The outer edge of the cover plate 9 is preferably flanged downwardly as indicated at H to provide an annular recessfor receiving the upper end of the frusto-conical weather shield D. The body of the shield is provided with a plurality of slots or openings l2 formedby striking out an ear [3. This ear is perforated to receive the shank of an eye-bolt l4 said shank being tensioned by a coilspring contained within a housing, I 5 The eye I 4 receives a fusible link or loop l6 which engages the fastening I! on flange-l I. This arrangement locates the fusible link [6 at the hole or slot l2, and the spring tensioned eyebolt I4 holds the weather-shield D firmly in place. In the event of fire, any flame propagated at'the outer side of the plates 6 will pass through the openings 12 and quickly melt the links'l6 thereby permitting the shield to drop. Ordinarily, however, the shield remains in the position shown in Figure l to prevent. water entering the valve cage, or to prevent the formation of ice on the plates which would obstruct the free passage of air. The cover 9 is" provided with a central boss [8 which is interiorally threaded to receive a tubu lar valve stem guide [9. The upper end of the tubular guide is fitted with a removable cap 20. As will be observed from the drawing, the guide her, but burns entirely on th'e outside of plate stack 6. The valves function properly under fire and when the vapor pressure on the tankhee comes less than the valve pressure, the valve closes and automatically the fire is 'ex 'tnriguis hed for lack of fuel.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be restorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a safety device for volatile liquid storage tanks, a flame arrester, a cover for the flame arrester, a weather shield in the form of a frustoconical member having its upper edge normally engaged with the cover, a plurality of fusible members carried by the cover, and spring means carried by the weather shield and engaging said members to connect the weather shield to the cover under tension.

2. In a safety device for volatiie liquid storage tanks, at flame arrester, a cover for the flame arrester, a weather shield in the form of a frustoconical member having its upper edge normally engaged with the cover, studs carried by the cover, fusiblelinks suspended from said studs,

and yielding means carried by the weather shield for engaging said links.

[3. In a safety device for volatile liquid storage tanks, a'flame arrester including a side wall havinglateral openings, a cover on the upper side of the flame arrester, an annular weather-shield suspended from the cover by fusible links for shielding the side Wall of the flame arrester, said weather-shield having flame escape openings at the location of the fusible links.

JOHN J. TOKHEIM. 

